‘Law & Order: SVU’: Ice-T Says He’s Back on Show Full-Time in Season 28
What To Know
- Ice-T announced he will return as Sergeant Fin Tutuola in every episode of Law & Order: SVU Season 28.
- His part-time status last season was due to budget adjustments and the return of Kelli Giddish.
- Ice-T recently made TV history by playing Fin for over 400 episodes.
If Sergeant Fin Tutuola’s reduced presence in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 27 left you cold, Ice-T has news that should warm you up. The character is coming back in a big way in Season 28.
Ice-T shared the update in a new episode of The TMZ Podcast, revealing he’ll be back in every episode when SVU returns.
“Last year, what happened was, you know, they brought Kelli Giddish back. So they told me, you know, basically, we’re going to bring Kelli Giddish back. We’re going to bring your scenes down a little bit,” the rapper-turned-actor explained. “I asked them, I said, are you kicking me off the show? They said, no, we’re just going to move some things around budget-wise, blah, blah, blah.”
Ice-T said he took his Season 27 part-time status in stride. “Now, somebody like me, free time — people think, oh, they take you off the show, you lose money. No, I make money because now I have time to do other things. When you have to put in five days a week on a show, it kind of restricts my hustle.”
That free time will be at a premium in Season 28, however. “So this next season, I’m going to be in every episode,” Ice-T said. “But it was one of those things where the boss comes to you, and you don’t go, well, I’ve been on here 27 seasons, you go and do this? You know, I got it. I got it. It’s all good. So it wasn’t because of Kelli. It was just the way they moved. And I was more concerned getting to Season 28. I didn’t care about that. I was just like, let’s just keep going. I want to go to Season 30.”
Ice-T has played Fin for a quarter-century now, and he recently made TV history. In February, production company Wolf Entertainment announced on X that Ice-T’s 400-plus-episode SVU tenure means that he has played a single role for more episodes than any other scripted TV actor in U.S. primetime history.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Season 28 Premiere, Thursday, October 8, 9/8c, NBC
Here Are Their Stories
Get absolutely everything about Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in your inbox!
Conversation27 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
G
It wouldn't be the same without Fin.
-
E
It wouldn't be the same without Olivia either actually it wasn't even the same without Elliot Stabler but did the writers bring him back permanently no sir they didn't they've gave him his own show that just been canceled this year
-
-
E
The writers needs to bring back Chris Meloni as Elliot Stabler back to Law and Order SVU for season 28 and leave Ice T and Kelly and other original members on there alone if you want to get rid of someone get rid of the man they called Batman and Bring back Elliot Stabler back to Law and Order Svu or ask Bobby to also join or have him go where Jet is
-
G
If they couldn’t afford Finn and Kellie, you think they can afford Finn, Kellie and Chris? Personally, I call BS, but hey if he’s happy, let’s all be happy with him.
-
E
Do I look happy
-
-
-
G
I'm not sure I understand. Mariska has been playing Olivia longer than Ice T has played Fin.
-
G
Maybe it has to do with single role as she has played Olivia multiple times across all the Law and Order Shows
-
E
Good point, but Mariska don't want to retire. So have Chris why let him go?
-
M
The article said more than any other scripted ACTOR. Olivia is an ACTRESS.
-
R
In modern Hollywood (yes, including shows shot in NYC), that distinction only exists in SOME award shows; the SAG Awards have used "male actor" and "female actor" instead since their inception. Ice-T's run as Fin is the longest for any MALE actor in a traditional U.S. scripted primetime drama; for ALL actors it's Mariska as Olivia. (Edit: Neither is anywhere close to the world record; William Roache -- father of former L&O actor Linus Roache -- has played the same character on the UK primetime soap Coronation Street ever since it began in 1960.)
-
-
T
I love them both very much
-
G
Mariska took some time off when she had her baby. So that might have something to do with it.
-
-
G
Chris is busy on another series so he may not be back for season 28. The characters Amanda, Griffin, Carisi and Bruno are awesome. Mariska is one of a kind. Her chemistry with Chris is beyond anything I've ever seen. I've watched this show all 27 seasons and it's my favorite. I feel it has brought rape to the forefront which needed to happen, considering how the world is now. As a survivor of molestation, and years of therapy, this show brought this into the light and it helped me feel I'm not alone. Thank you to the cast and creator of this show.
-
C
I'm also a survivor of molestation with years of therapy. It's still hard. I relate to the show in a mostly positive way. I could have been killed because I put myself in bad situations sometimes.
-
-
M
I think the show would not be the same without fin
-
B
This makes me so happy! The show was not the same without Finn on every episode.
-
T
I love svu it’s my favorite tv show and I love every body that plays on the tv show especially ice T and Olivia benson I love all the characters and the cop’s that plays on svu I love to watch them save the victims and get the bad guys I love all of the svu tv shows I watch them all I am svu biggest fan love always Tina Leger
-
D
Why do they need curry? She makes it a logjam and somebody has to sit out an episode. They don,t need Griffin, eithet.
-
G
Ill trade Griffin for Kelly anyday. She can give advice but cant take it and is a Hot Head for sure. Just selfish.
-
-
G
They should have left Kelly off she gets on my nerves so bad.
-
P
I really like Kelly and her character and how she and Olivia are besties!
-
-
P
Yay!!
-
S
Hasn't Mariska Hargitay been in more episodes than Ice-T?
-
L
Get rid of Kelli, I can't stand her. She's always been a crooked cop!
-
B
I think it stinks he had to leave bc of her. I don’t care for her at all. He is the only reason why I continue to watch. So glad he is back i will just fast forward thru her scenes, she wasn’t missed
-
E
You really like Ice T don't you? I can really tell. I wasn't really a fan of Rollins either because of he sleeping with every Tom D. I. C. K. and Harry she sees that's not her husband until she met the right man to marry which is Sonny she grew on me
-
G
I dont likenher either shes aggravate to to my core.
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services